What an uplifting three days we have had in Reception. It began with a shocking scene… a flying saucer had crash landed into our playground, and with it, a ‘new student’ at UCPS (an alien) had been injured. The children enjoyed becoming reporters and writing about what they had seen, with explanations of where the alien had come from and what had happened to make it crash in our playground.
We have also been exploring some different types of spacecraft – space shuttles, the international space station and space probes. The children enjoyed asking questions, using their imaginations and linking their new knowledge to understanding a little bit more about our alien friend.
Next week we will be starting our new story: Whatever Next! and learning more about the moon.
In phonics we will continue building on children’s knowledge of sounds in Phase 4 looking at longer words, giving them opportunities to apply their digraphs and trigraphs.
In maths we will extend our knowledge of shapes to 3D shapes, consolidating vocabulary relating to the edges, faces and vertices of different shapes. Here is a space-themed shape game that might be a fun way to support them.
Our challenges for next week are:
Yellow: To complete an astronaut training assault course.
Orange: To write a list poem with adult support about the different things they would take on a trip to space.
Red: To use chalks to create planets, focusing on their colours and patterns.
Green: To follow instructions to make alien slime.
Purple (same as last week): Building a spacecraft and labelling the parts.
Blue: To complete different 2D shape puzzles painted on pebbles.
Some parents have been asking about what we have been up to in our PE sessions. This week we have been practising our running skills looking at the ways we can increase our speed and how to work as a team.
Notices: Next Tuesday, UCPS will be focussing on one of the school’s values, empathy, through the use of picture books. We are using this day to promote our love of reading and have invited Heffers to have a pop-up book stall after school. Books will be offered at a slightly discounted price.
Tuesday 12th June 2018
Heffers Book Stall
3:15-4pm
Outside the library
What is Empathy Day?
Empathy Day was founded by EmpathyLab as an annual event after a successful 2017 pilot; in 2018 it is on 12th June.
Its focus is on the use of books as a tool to build more understanding between us all since scientific research shows that reading builds our real-life sensitivity towards other people. Reading empathy-boosting stories and poems can help to challenge prejudice and build connections between us all.
Empathy Day’s calls to action:
READ – because reading in itself can make us more empathetic
SHARE – because sharing books can connect us in new ways
DO – put empathy into action and make a difference in your community
(empathylab.uk)
A big thank you to FOCUS and our parent community for purchasing the picture books we are going to use on the day – Aimee Durning.